Kidnapped for the Moment
by Simahoyo
Summary: Maura wakes up to discover she has been kidnapped-again.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I gave up on the other story. It turned into an AU, thanks to the real owners of Daddy Isles. So sorry. I lost heart. Hope you like this instead.**

Kidnapped—for the Moment by Simahoyo

I woke up with a dry mouth and a headache. I slitted my eyes open, because I also noticed the stink of chloroform still in my nostrils. I could make out a darkened room, I felt a mattress under me, and it was damp. Not a sound, so I opened my eyes completely.

I felt the hot rush of anger and bit my lip to get control over my thinking. Fury makes me stupid. I recalled the attack at the faked crime scene. I mentally kicked myself for being so foolish. I sat up, and looked around for hidden cameras. Nothing. It was a basement, holding very little but me and the mattress. I felt through my hair. Thank evolution they had missed the strategically placed bobby pins I'd started to carry since the last time I was kidnapped.

So, Paddy Doyle was out of state. I couldn't think of anyone I had been instrumental in having arrested who wasn't still incarcerated.

I narrowed this one down to something aimed at Jane, since her personal Fury had been so active. Although I assumed I could escape easily, I decided to stay until I could learn more about this enemy of Jane's.

But first, I got up and explored my erstwhile prison. The door had two locks, both too easy to worry about now, then there was a high, narrow window which I suspected I could squirm through. I was getting bored after I saw the hand and toe holds between the cinder blocks that formed the walls.

So, I sat down and thought about what had been done to Jane. It had to be someone who knew her well. Or someone who had studied her.

I was making mental lists when I heard footsteps, and the door was unlocked.

In walked Rory Graham, with the same swagger he had at Jane's High School Reunion. He wore a suit, and a smirk.

"Bet you're surprised to see me!"

"Not really. Corporations are often let go with a slap on the hand for major crimes."

Now he was snarling. "Rizzoli is a nobody...always has been. She ruined my life, and I'm making her pay."

"I see. So the heart valve malfunction had nothing to do with it. Nor the deaths resulting from it."

"I didn't make the thing. She had no right to smear my name. She took my wife. I take her lezbo girlfriend."

"I fail to see any logic in your statement. And we played we were a couple to fend off Giovanni. You certainly didn't treat your wife as if she had any value to you."

"God, what are you, a computer? No, just a medical examiner. They don't even trust you to treat live people."

I had that sinking feeling when I feel as if I am standing before an ocean of ignorance, trying to catch it in a cup. I just shook my head. "What's the point?"

"The point is to make Rizzoli suffer. I keep you here a couple months, shoot you, and watch her fall apart." Clever, huh?"

I shrugged a shoulder, Considered hitting him in the head with my high heel, and realized it make walking harder. I just sat, waiting for him to go. I had things to do, locks to pick.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Kidnapped FTM 2 by Simahoyo

 **Wow, thanks for your response. Hope you like this part.**

After Rory Graham left, I put my ear to the door, and heard household sounds. I eliminated it as an escape route, I stuffed my high heels into my waist band and climbed up to the window. It was dusk, and I could see bushes, a large lawn and not much else. I pulled open the window, climbed through and listened. No dog. I liked that. I scoped out the yard, and saw that the only light on was on the second floor. I took off quietly until I reached a country road.

Most people don't think of it, but if you walk down a road just after escaping being kidnapped, you are fairly likely to flag down your kidnapper or an accomplice. I looked for a path into the woods going away from the house I had just left, after I put my high heels back on. The moon as nearly full, and I have good night vision.. I walked for nearly half an hour, and found my first obstacle. There was a fence barring the path, and it was bristling with barbed wire.

"Merde!" I remembered getting caught in a barbed wire fence with some of my nanny's kids, as we tried to cross fields on a farm. It took both the nanny and the farmer what seemed like hours (I was four) to disentangle and free us. It turned out to be fortunate we got caught in the fence—the other field was home to a bull.

Over the years I had learned how to get through barbed wire, but I had the presence of mind to look for a bull in the woods. It was empty, so I stepped on the bottom wire, lifted the next one up to meet the top strand and carefully eased myself through. Then I gently moved the one I held down as I stepped off the bottom one. I'll admit I blew out my breath when I made it through.

"Water, then shelter, then food, " I reminded myself. I looked for willows or cattails, which both grow near water. I followed the path until it started to make a bend to the right, it was then that I saw pussy willows lined up. I went closer, and found a little brook. I also saw some animal prints where they had stopped to drink. I stooped and filled my hands. It was cold and tasty.

Shelter would be next. After living in Africa, my idea of shelter could be fairly basic. I saw a stone overhang, which could act as a narrow roof. There were dead trees, unfortunately rotten, and several thin saplings. Now the problem was how to get them down. I looked around for trash left behind, that might act as a chopping tool. There was nothing metal, not even a tin can. I switched to looking for flint, and was lucky enough to find a chunk nearly a foot long and as wide as my fist. I reminded myself that I needed to sleep, so I put dry grass and dead leaves under my rock overhang, used half of it to cover myself, and went to sleep.

By morning, I was hungry and in search of some cattails. I found some about half an hour later, pulled them out of the ground, and washed them downstream of where I was drinking from the brook..I ate some raw-tasteless. I also found a dip in the ground that I used a stick to open into a place for voiding and defecating.. There was plenty of grass nearby. On my way back, I discovered an old fire pit, and examined the area for any useful midden items. I was delighted to discover a whole lamb leg bone, nicely dried. Archeology 201 was going to come in handy now.

I looked at the sun, which by now was directly overhead. This meant I didn't have time to grind an axehead. I chipped off a flake of flint and used it to shape the bone into a flaking tool. It was funny how quickly my hands remembered how to make the flint core into an adze. The blade was sharp, but thick enough to last. I used it to cut an angled branch. There was a pine tree nearby, so I cut into it's bark waiting for pitch to ooze out. I wound it around a thin stick, and put it aside as I started a fire in the fire pit. The leaves from the cattails would act as a temporary fastener. I heated the pitch, fitted the stone into the handle, and glued the adze in place, wrapping it with cattail leaves. I left it to cool as I gathered long willow sticks with the flint chip. I spotted a birch tree, and peeled some bark. I had quite an armload when I finished.

I used the willow to make a wall by leaning it along my stone overhang.. I knew it would leak,which was why I had the bark.. I wove it to form a roof/wall and used maple leaves to patch any holes. The pitch did a great job. I used the last sheet of bark to fashion a water container, and used pitch to make it water tight. I filled it with water, and cut my cattails into pieces to boil. There were some small rocks I could use for the job, and I was getting hungry. As I ate my meal, I wondered what Jane would have to say about my dinner.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Kidnapped FTM 3

Frankie Rizzoli was standing over his older sister, trying his best to seem threatening. She looked like hell, hadn''t slept in days, or eaten in God knew how long.

"Jeeze, Janey, It's pizza. Pepperoni. You love pepperoni pizza. And I got you Sam Addams. It's your favorite beer, for crying out loud!"

"I gotta find her. I'm trying to figure out who—who **dared** take her. It's been a week. And I've been too scared to call her family. I promised I would take care of her."

"Yeah, well I seem to remember that she can take care of herself pretty good. When she was operating, trying to save my life, and all those dirty cops took over the whole place, she turned on the speaker so Korzak and everyone could hear what was going on. And that crud who tried to kill that wolf boy? She stabbed him in the leg with a scalpel. She isn't exactly helpless."

"Leave me alone, Frankie. I have stuff to do."

The door opened. "Jane Clementine Rizzoli! You have to eat something. You're nothing but skin and bones."

"Ma?" Jane looked at Frankie, "Traitor. Leave me alone, Ma."

"No way. I called Constance for you. She and Arthur are very upset. They'll be here tomorrow."

Jane put her head on her arms."I hate my life."

"I thought about calling Paddy Doyle,,,"

Jane's head went straight up. "You didn't!"

"No. I mean, what can he do from way across the country? Eat your pizza, like a good girl, and I'll make chicken parm for your supper. " Angela patted Jane's arm.

Jane rolled her eyes, sighed, and started in on the pizza. She wished Maura was there to steal a slice.

* * *

Nina had made flow charts, spread sheets, neighborhood maps, list after list of possible enemies Jane might have made. Her vision was getting blurry, but she was willing to keep going because she liked Dr. Isles, and it hurt her to see how upset everyone was at the kidnapping. That tall guy from CSRU was coming up to her desk—what was his name? "Hi Ben. How are ?"

"Feeling kinda pleased with myself, actually. You know Rizzoli mentioned that high school reunion she went to with Maura? I was thinking maybe one of the people involved in that mess...So, I looked at it again, and one of them got off."

Nina's shoulders straightened. "That's very interesting. What am I looking for?" Nina's fingers were poised over the keyboard.

"Rory Graham, like in cracker.", said Ben.

He didn't notice Nina's raised eyebrow. She went to court records, then Superior Court Case Data, entered the name and "Whoa, it was dismissed!"

Nina read aloud, "under the recent supreme court decision,, _Mutual Pharmaceutical v. Bartlett_ , the case was dismissed. The faulty heart valve was not discovered to be defective until two users had died and their deaths were found to be linked to failure of the valve. Rory Graham, owner of the company, was let go."

Ben stood up suddenly, "What the…! How did he get away without even a fine?"

"Hey, I'm from Chicago. I'm used to it. We just put our heads down and work harder."

Ben sat back down. "Well, I like this guy for what's been happening to Rizzoli. If he got away with murder, he'd be burned up at her for arresting him."

"And since he got away with it once...", said Nina

"He'll always expect to. Where does he own property?"

Nina pulled the county assessor's records, and found a list for Rory Graham.

"Rich dude. Look at all that.""Look **where** it is. The Back Bay, Beacon Hill..."

"I have an idea, Ben. Look at all this, the same title company, so if, Yankee Doodle Title insured all of these, they probably cover everything—even outside this county."

Ben and Nina high-fived each other.

* * *

It was 10 PM when the two of them walked into Jane's office with a big stack of paper and identical grins. Jane was drooping at her desk.

"Hey, girl. We found something for you."

Jane's head us up and her breathing was faster.

Ben took a report off the top of the pile. "Remember this guy?"

"Rory Graham? Yeah. Isn't he in prison?"

"He got off because the case was against his corporation. However..." Nina pointed to an address. "He owns a house out in Chickopee."

Jane read as if her life depended on it. "It would be like him to do all that stuff to me, and he met Maura too...knew we are friends. What's the..."

Ben dropped another note on her desk, "The local police number."

"I'm impressed:, said Jane as she dialed.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Kidnapped For the Moment 4

The next morning, when Frankie saw the shape his sister was in, he arm wrestled the steering wheel from her, and drove her to Chickopee. It was halfway across the state, and he was pleased to see her fall asleep by Framingham. He didn't know much other than they were headed into Springfield first to a company called, "Yankee Doodle Title Insurance." He figured he'd wake Jane up when they got into Springfield. Not a bad day, so far. Jane had eaten an egg sandwich and was finally getting some sleep.

They had about an hour more to go,and Frankie liked to drive.

* * *

I had set up four different small animal traps, not killing ones, but their leg could be caught in some string. I hated to unravel my blouse along the hem...but I did need to eat. If I caught a pet or something I couldn't bear to kill, I could choose. I was cleaning out the fire circle when a man approached me. He was unshaven, long haired, wore a heavy coat and a big backpack. He was as careful in his approach as I would be with a wild animal.

"Hi. I'm Jake. Are you new here?"

That flustered me. "I, thought I was alone, although with the fire circle..."

"Oh, everyone shares that. I guess you're new to the life."

I looked my question at him. I didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Did your old man beat you?"

"Actually, no. I was kidnapped and escaped."

His eyes opened wide. "Wow! I' never seen that before! Where do you need to get back to?"

"Boston, but I don't where I am."

"Just a half mile from Chicopee Memorial State Park."

"Could you show me the way?"

"Absolutely. I never had an adventure before. This is cool."

"I have a shelter back by the rock overhang, if you want a place to put your things."

"They are getting a little heavy.

Thanks, Lady.

I winced inwardly. "My name is Maura."

Jake nodded."Yeah, It's a bad habit, trying to sound respectful without messing with your privacy."

"Oh, I see. That's fine with me, now that I know why. My shelter is over by that rise."

Jake looked at it and gave a low whistle. "Lady—I mean Maura, you really know how to build."

"Thank you." I want to check my traps because I could use some protein."

"If I hafta live outside I druther do it with you. I can tickle catfish, if your traps are empty."

"Good plan. Thank you." We walked up to my shelter. "Stash your backpack under the leaves. You can rest while I check my traps."

While Jake buried his backpack, and sat down to take his shoes off, I checked my traps. I could hear wings fluttering, and hoped it wasn't en endangered bird. Fortunately, it was a common bobwhite. I quickly broke it's neck and brought it back to pluck. Jake put his shoes back on and stood.

"My turn, Hope I can get a fish." He walked off to the pond, picked up a stick scrutinized the shore and leaned over the water, poking the stick in. I kept plucking. It was amazing how many feathers were on the quail.. Jake stuck his hands in the water, waited, wiggling his fingers, yanked them out, and had a fish clamped on his left hand.

"Does that hurt?", I asked.

Jake stood up and walked toward me. "Nope. Feels like sandpaper. My Dad and I used to do this before he died. You got something I can cut it up with?

I handed him the flint flake. He worked on the catfish, while I attended to the quail. Then he used sticks to stand them near the fire I built. "Where did you lean that?", I asked.

"Washington State. They cook salmon that way. Why did you put that huge long branch into the side of your campfire?"

"I learned it in Africa. You don't have to keep feeding the fire."

"Everywhere you go, you learn something new and useful."

* * *

Jane had her jaw clamped shut, the way she always did to keep from yawning. The room where they were looking at properties reminded her of the cold case file room. The Title guy was going through huge files that went all the way back to royal land grants. "Why do they have to do that. We just need to figure out where Maura is.", she thought. Frankie stifled a yawn too.

"This is all very interesting, but we have to find our friend. She's been kidnapped, and –bad things could happen to her." Frankie's voice sounded strained. Hey, Maura was family.

The title guy opened another file. "This one is nearby, in this county, and the owner of record is Rory Graham. So, let's see what we can find." He took out a map that looked different from any map Jane had ever seen. Big rectangles with names in them were interrupted by rivers, and ponds, or lakes. Houses were not shown, nor streets and roads.

The title guy pointed at one of the rectangles.

"This is the property I was talking about. It's a farm owned by Rory Graham, If I was going to hold someone hostage..."

"Hey! What's the address on it?" asked Frankie.

The title guy read another document. This place would make Jane crazy in one day.

"The legal address is 526 Penny Drive."

"That's it! It has to be!", yelled Jane. "How do we get there?"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Kidnapped for the Moment 5

As Jane ran out the door, Frankie reddened slightly, "Hey, thanks for your help."

Angela would have been mortified at Jane's behavior. Frankie understood—Maura was Jane's closest friend, but it wouldn't do to antagonize people who helped the police.

Jane had the car running and was motioning him to hurry. Frankie ran to the car and jumped in.

"I get it Janey, but take a couple of deep breaths. I don't want to crash on the way to rescue Maura."

Jane backed out of the parking lot, frowning. She shifted and roared down the street. "You sound like when you used to talk to that fat kid—Lenny. He used to get mad and throw stuff, and you'd always tell him to take deep breaths to calm him down. I'm not Lenny. Maura could be hurt. She could be dying. I'm not going to take deep breaths and calm down."

Frankie knew when to shut up. He hung on, and silently prayed Jane wouldn't cause a wreak before they found Maura.

* * *

After our meal, I decided to be the doctor. "Jake? How are your feet?"

He looked away and didn't answer.

"I noticed you were limping with your left foot. May I look at it?" I was using my pediatrician voice.

Jake finally stuck his left foot in front of me. I gently took off his shoe, and sock. There was a corn on his toe."

"Oh, that should be easy to fix. Did I mention I'm a doctor."

"No lie? If you can make this stop hurting so bad...it would be really cool."

"Just soak you foot in the pond." As he limped down to the water I added, "Watch out for catfish."

He laughed and as he soaked his foot, I flaked off flint chips until I had one as sharp as a razor, and big enough to control. I had noticed some soft looking moss, and I thought I could use it to keep pressure off his toe after to removed the corn. After all, many so-called primitive people had done the same thing.

After the corn removal, I wrapped Jake's foot in moss, and put his sock back on. Then I examined his shoe. I pointed to a cut in the leather just over his toe.

"That's what caused it. "

I took the shoe, placed a rounded rock under the cut inside the shoe, and banged it smooth with another." "That should help for a couple of miles. Your next request for funds should feature your need for better shoes."

Jake grinned and he put the shoe back on, "That's much better. Thanks. Now I( can take you to someplace where you can get help."

The two of us walked along the river path, climbed a split rail fence, and into a parking lot with cars in it. Suddenly the despair was back. I didn't see a single person."

"Don't worry. They have to come back to get their cars.", said Jake.

We sat on the sidewalk and waited. Jake took out a harmonica and played. He was pretty good. Nearly half an hour later a couple came down the trail. I stood, and waited until they started towards a car

"Please excuse me. I need to borrow a cell phone..."

"Begging at a state park. Is that even legal Lawrence? Shame on you. Get a job!" The woman turned her back on me, and my temper flared.

"I **have** a job. I'm the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I have been kidnapped, and I would like to call someone to come and get me." I'm afraid I was using my offended society woman voice.

"Do you have any identification?", asked Lawrence.

"It was taken when I was."

Jake stood and smiled at Lawrence, "That's a smart phone. Look her up. Try the Commonwealth of Massachusetts official page. Betcha she's in there. Maybe even a photo."

Lawrence started to Google the page.

"There's no picture, but my name is listed. I''m, Dr. Maura D. Isles, ME"

Lawrence tapped away and looked. "Found it No photo."

"Look in images."

Lawrence looked. His jaw dropped. "It's true? Man, oh man. Who do you want me to call?"

I gave him the last number I wanted to call, but I swallowed my pride in the name of efficiency.' Lawrence handed me his phone. "Hello, Dr. Pike?"

* * *

Jane slowed down as they neared the suspicious address. A two story farmhouse came into sight. It looked harmless, with a gravel drive to the right of the front porch. There was a new Caddy parked in the drive. Jane turned off the engine and rolled to a stop.

She frowned at the plate on the car, 'Rory. ' "It's him."

She had her gun out and the safety off before Frankie had his seat belt open. His gun felt heavy. His sister's life could be in his hands. They had closed the car doors as quietly as possible, Jane motioned Frankie to take the back, while she took the front. Slow and steady—almost silent steps, up the porch steps, her hand on the screen door…

"Blam!" Jane felt the bullet whiz past her face. She dropped to her knees.

"Boston PD. Give it up, Rory!"

"Dumb move as usual, Rizzoli. And you're out of your jurisdiction."

Jane counted to herself, then slammed the door open. Frankie was standing behind Rory, as Jane stood in front of him.

"Where's Maura?"

"Where you'll never find her."

Frankie saw the look and Jane's face—the same one she wore before taking on a bully teasing Tommy when they were kids.

"No, Janey, don't do it. Frankie grbbed her fist just as she went for Rory's nose.

"If you don't tell us where she is now, I'll let her do it.", growled Frankie.

"She isn't here. She got away. I swear. I looked for her..."

Jane punched him anyway.

* * *

I was standing in Dr. Pike's office, listening to him drone on about how happy he was to rescue me from such a terrible fate. I looked at Jake and he shrugged. Pike insisted on called BPD himself, and it took several minutes to pry the telephone loose. Thank evolution it was Korsak.

"I'm dirty, my hair is a mess, and I'm a little dehydrated., other than that, I'm fine. Please someone tell Jane and the rest of the Rizzolis..."

"Frankie and Jane went to rescue you." They're at the place on Penny drive.", said Korsak.

"Oh no. Call the local police. I couldn't stand it if they got hurt looking for me." I hung up and twisted my hands together.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Kidnapped for the Moment 6

 **Special to those having trouble following this: Pike has his office in Western Mass, in North Hampton. Maura was in Chicopee, which is nearby. The BPD, in Boston is over an hour away (closer to 2 hourss). Frankie and Jane are in Springfield, then go to Chicopee after our bad guy. Everyone is afraid to call them in case they mess up their arrest of Rory.**

Somehow, in his glorious incompetence, Pike had managed to get a great Morgue Assistant. Mercy Compton was a Nurse Practitioner who left the wilds of New Hampshire for the Western Regional M.E.s office in North Hampton, Massachusetts.

If she'd had the required certificates, I might have urged her to run against Pike in the next election.

Mercy took me aside, "You know we have a shower you can use. My hair care products are inside, and they have lemon juice in them. You know that will cut the smell of almost anything. I'll lay out scrubs. Size small? Or medium?

I smiled to let her know how much I appreciated her kindness. "Medium, although I'm actually between sizes."

Mercy handed me two towels, and opened the door to the morgue rooms. I thanked her and went on in.

When I was finally cleaned up and feeling like myself, I walked back into the main office. Mercy was on the telephone, as I entered she motioned to me to take the call.

"Dr. Isles."

"Darling!"

"Merde, it was Mom!

"Hello, Mom."

"Thank God you're alright. Your father and I have been so worried. He would love to talk to you, but he's driving. The second we learned you were in North Hampton we started driving to see you."

"Don't be a jerk, they love you.", I told myself. "Good. It's been too long. They were kind enough to let me use their shower, and I'm beginning to feel human again.. I'll be waiting."

I put the phone down and shivered. Mom could probably hear the worry in my voice for Jane and Frankie. At least I was getting fairly good at lying. I needed something else to think about. I turned to Mercy.

"Do you think my friend Jake could have a shower too? And I could redress his toe once he's done, otherwise I'd be afraid of sepsis because I didn't have any antiseptic."

Mercy started for the closet right away, speaking to Jake as she got towels, and a large pair of scrubs.

"I'm sorry, Jake. We only have the one shower except the one for chemical spills, and it isn't at all private. It's through there, and down the hall on the left."

"Thanks! It'll be great to get clean."

As he went down the hall, I felt my lips quiver as I thought about the Rizzolis facing down Rory. I sat down because my legs were feeling weak. I hate to let my emotions get away from me...but they do from time to time. I tried to block out the mental video running ion my head of Jane and Frankie getting killed because of my situation—for no good reason. I didn't dare call her—she was in enough danger as it was.

I don't know how long I sat until an all too familiar voice said, "Hello Darling."

Mom was looking at me, and I saw her take in my mood. She sat down next to need, quiet, just looking at me.

Dad can read me too, so he walked away and waited. I must have been nearly impossible to raise.

I sat, looking down, and trying to swallow the lump in my throat. "Jane and Frankie are trying to arrest the man who kidnapped me."

"I can't imagine how you feel." She was quiet, hoping I would continue to talk.

"My fault. I should have let them know sooner."

"How?" Damn her logic.

"I don't know. Messenger pigeon? Smoke signals." I twisted my hands some more.

"She's a wonderful friend to you. I hope they will be alright. You won't believe this, but I'm thinking A Prayer to St. Jude."

I stared, "You?"

"I'm afraid I'm a lapsed Atheist."

Blast her, she made me laugh. "Sneaky, Mom."

"Are you up for a hug yet?" She looked right into my eyes

I opened my arms and we hugged. "What kind of shape is Dad in?" If anyone in our family went off the rails with fear, it was Dad.

""That was another prayer, _'_ _The eternal God is our hiding place; he carries us in his arms._ _'_ I went through that a few times today."

I looked at Dad, who slumped in the chair—the picture of forlorn. I patted Mom's hand.

"I can mange him now."

Mom got up and sent him over. His face showed concern, fear, hesitation, how did he wear all those emotions at once?

"Hi Dad."

"You can't imagine how worried we were."

Actually, I could, but he wouldn't understand me saying that. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

He looked down at his hands. If they get the fellow who did this..." he mimed wringing a neck..."They may have to lock me up before I get my hands on him. I'm beginning to think Pinochet had some good methods. "

"Daddy. I'm fine, just worried about Jane and Frankie."

"Detective Rizzoli is a fine young woman. " He looked into my eyes. What was going on with my parents and this looking into my eyes today?

Suddenly, the door flew open, Frankie walked in, "We got him! He's in jail in Chicopee." But I was looking behind him. Jane, thinner, periorbital hyperpigmentation ,

looking around the room. When she saw me, she broke into a grin and tears simultaneously. She ran across the room, and woe to anyone in her path.

I opened my arms and we hugged, and her lips were on mine. I'm afraid I took advantage of her temporary insanity because I kissed her back, but she didn't pull away, and I began to suspect…

"Thank God. I was so scared, because with you gone, how could I go on?"

I worried I had imagined it, she spoke so softly. I whispered back, "I was terrified for you too." Then, like a fool, I lost me head and whispered, "I love you."

I expected her to run away, but her arms stayed around me. "Good, because—me too."

The end


End file.
